It will be half a year in 23 days until the opening of the Tokyo Olympics.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government is making preparations to respond to various situations in preparation for holding a safe and secure tournament, such as rushing to secure medical staff, while changing plans for transportation and volunteer training depending on the infection status of the new coronavirus. I think there is a possibility that you will be forced to do so.
It will be half a year in 23 days until the opening of the Tokyo Olympics, which was postponed for one year due to the influence of the new coronavirus.
The city will not hold events or light up six months ago due to the state of emergency.
Among the preparations for the tournament, the medical system, which is tight due to the spread of the new coronavirus infection, has an issue of building a system that can respond to overseas athletes, and the city has cooperated with the local medical association. We are in a hurry to secure medical staff.
On the other hand, regarding the transportation of athletes and spectators, we plan to verify whether the vehicles can actually run and operate smoothly after March, but if the number of spectators decreases, the city will urge a review of the transportation plan. I am concerned that it will be done.
In addition, the city is planning a group training for about 30,000 volunteers "Citycast" who will guide the audience in the town after April, but depending on the infection situation, it will be online. It means that it may be used in combination with.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has decided to proceed with preparations with the Organizing Committee and the national government so that it can respond to various situations, as controlling the spread of infection and thoroughly implementing preventive measures are the keys to holding a safe and secure tournament.
Challenges such as maintaining motivation of about 120,000 "volunteers"
As the infection of the new coronavirus continues to spread, it is an issue to prevent infection and maintain motivation of about 120,000 volunteers who support the operation of the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics.
Approximately 80,000 volunteers from the Tokyo Games, "Fieldcast," who are mainly active in the Olympic Village and competition venues, and more than 40,000, "Citycasts," city volunteers who guide traffic and sightseeing to spectators, etc., are active. intend to do something.
However, it is estimated that about 700 volunteers could not participate in the tournament as of September last year due to the postponement of the tournament, and about 670 city volunteers have indicated their intention to decline in the three prefectures of Kanagawa, Chiba and Saitama. I will.
In addition, in a questionnaire conducted by Tokyo and Saitama prefectures last summer to autumn for city volunteers, nearly 80% answered that they were worried about the virus infection status.
Volunteer man "Anxiety is getting higher and higher"
Some volunteers are asking us to show us the specific status of the study and the path to the event.
Norio Hasegawa (66), who lives in Machida, Tokyo, is a volunteer who guides the spectators during the tournament.
I am looking forward to interacting with people from all over the world who will visit Japan at the Tokyo Games, and even after the postponement was decided last year, he said, "I want to believe in the event and prepare happily," and learn muscle training and English to maintain physical fitness. I have continued.
However, even now, six months before the event, I am worried that the infection has not subsided and the situation is getting worse.
Mr. Hasegawa says, "I'm getting more and more anxious about whether everyone will gather in Tokyo to hold a sports festival. I feel that there is no time until the tournament."
He also said, "I'm dissatisfied because I haven't been shown what to do specifically. It's a strong motivation to see the future. Under these conditions, I have to stop when the infection situation reaches this point. I would like you to present your policy. I would like you to show a solid path and connect it to the tournament. ”I want you to show the specific status of consideration and the path to the event.
Each local government will also take measures such as formulating volunteer infection prevention measures.
Of these, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government wants to present a manual for infection prevention measures for the approximately 30,000 volunteers "Citycast" who will guide the audience at the competition this month.
Basically, wear a mask, wash your hands, and disinfect to avoid crowding, and if you can secure a distance from the surroundings to make it compatible with heat measures, remove the mask or take a break. We are planning to include time to secure it, and hope to show it to volunteers later this month.
In addition, because it is difficult for volunteers to interact with each other, there is a growing movement within local governments to maintain motivation through training and exchange meetings.
In Chiba Prefecture, we started a new online training for urban volunteers from the end of last month, and more than 10 people participated in the training to learn Chinese conversation held on the 21st.
The training is expected not only to acquire necessary skills such as knowledge of foreign languages and infectious diseases, but also to facilitate interaction between a small number of participants.
"Uncertain holding" "No audience" "No cancellation" Various perspectives overseas
On the other hand, overseas media convey various views on the holding of the tournament.
The New York Times, a leading American newspaper, published an article titled "Hope for the Tokyo Olympics Darkens" in an electronic version dated 15th this month.
Among them, vaccination started only after the end of February, along with the situation where the infection is re-spreading in the host country Japan, such as recording more than 6000 infected people a day this month. He introduced that it would take several months to proceed, and reported that the holding of the Tokyo tournament became uncertain day by day.
Also, on the 20th, Agence France-Presse and the sports newspaper L'Équipe published an interview article with President Estange of the Organizing Committee of the 2024 Paris Games.
In this, Chairman Estange said, "It is better to hold the tournament even with no spectators than with nothing. If you do not have spectators, you may have great regrets, but it is important to adapt to reality," depending on the infection situation. He also expressed the view that the tournament should be considered from the perspective of non-spectators.
In an interview with the British television station Sky News, Sebastian Coe, chairman of the 2012 London Games Organizing Committee, said, "I think the challenge will continue, but I will give you the robustness and resilience to handle this situation. Japan is the only country in the world that has it. I don't think the tournament will be canceled, "he said, showing his expectations for Japan's adaptability for this summer.
Although there are various views from experts and media regarding the holding of the Games in each country, the IOC and the Games Organizing Committee have consistently emphasized that they are preparing for the July Games, and have canceled it. It clearly denies the possibility of re-postponement.